


What's your number ? (Bruce's POV)

by RebeccaAnabelBurrows



Series: A Study in Soulbonds (Unrelated Works) [16]
Category: DCU, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bruce being jealous of Barry, Bruce repressing his feelings like a professional, Hal and Bruce fighting verbally, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, Well not your usual timers but it will do, seriously it could be me, yeah I call that flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24171727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebeccaAnabelBurrows/pseuds/RebeccaAnabelBurrows
Summary: The counter on their wrist started up the first time Bruce and Hal talked. Since then, the numbers have  kept increasing with each word they have spoken to each other.It would be easier if Bruce didn't try to ignore his feelings about it.What's your number ? , but Bruce's POVCan be read independantly.
Relationships: Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne
Series: A Study in Soulbonds (Unrelated Works) [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1687879
Comments: 2
Kudos: 114





	What's your number ? (Bruce's POV)

The 0 digit in black script on his wrist had always contrasted with Bruce’s skin. As a child, Bruce had liked the idea of having a soulmate, someone who’ll always be there for you no matter what. 

After his parents’ murder, he had yearned for his soulmate, the one who could maybe make things easier. He had clung to the idea that a soulmate would make everything better. It was a popular myth parents told children, and a dangerous one. Your soulmate couldn’t save you from yourself, you had to do it. 

The one who made things better in the end wasn’t his soulmate. It was Alfred. Alfred had raised him as well as he could. He didn’t have a soulmate, and Bruce concluded it couldn’t be so bad, not knowing his. He would learn later than Alfred had a soulmate, had even spent time with them, if the numbers on his skin were anything to go by. 

Bruce had wondered if she - he supposed it was a she, but Alfred had never confirmed or denied attraction to any gender - had left or died but had never been brave enough to ask. Chances were it was a sad story, and there were enough sad stories in his life as it was.

Growing up, Bruce had also realized that his soulmate was probably male. He liked women, but he was mostly attracted to men. 

With the years, Bruce had turned the checking of his wrist into an exercise in self-control. He trained himself to not look at it for a day at first. Resisting curiosity - yours and your schoolmates - when you were twelve wasn’t easy but he did it.

At thirteen he could make it a week, and at fifteen a whole month. He kept from looking - covering the 0 as often as possible to discourage himself - for six months, when he turned seventeen.  
He trained regularly, stopping from looking for a month here and a few weeks there every so often.

He stopped when he realized it could be dangerous for Batman’s soulmate to have an oblivious soulmate. What if supervillains caught up with it before him and he left his soulmate harmless, not realizing their counters had started up ? He couldn’t forgive himself that. 

Having a soulmate, as a vigilante, felt deeply inconvenient and Bruce was glad he had yet to meet his. 

Until the day he had to fight alongside people - did metahumans and aliens even qualify as “people” ? - who would become the Justice League's founders (after fighting with them). 

Bruce had taken to check his wrist before going to sleep and had noticed the change. He had considered all the people he had met for the first time and interacted with that day. 

It could have been the mayor’s secretary, the waiter at this new place Alfred had suggested - nobody resisted Alfred’s suggestions, no matter how casually they were made - Bruce should take Dick for lunch, one of the many people he had on the phone for Wayne Enterprises. It wasn’t. The number on his arm was too high for a short conversation. 

His soulmate had spoken to him at length. It had to be one of the superheroes he had met. And Bruce knew which one. 

His immediate trust in Green Lantern had been uncanny to say the least. He had confided in him so quickly, without hesitation on his part - revealing his identity to the Lantern after they had just met had felt so natural. The pull he felt towards him was more than simple attraction or the desire to punch him. (He was familiar enough with those two feelings to know that). 

He wouldn’t have ruled the other superheroes out if Green Lantern hadn’t been so talkative. Lantern was a chatterbox, and the number on Bruce’s arm was high - Bruce didn’t think it could be anyone else. However, he was anything but a prudent man and decided to check his theory.

Before the first League meeting, he did some research. Found out about Barry Allen’s identity, that had been half given away by both Barry himself and Green Lantern during the fight. There were more American forensic investigators named Barry than Bruce had expected but the city where the Flash seemed to be intervene the most had narrowed it down to Allen. 

Having pierced through Allen’s identity, it only took Bruce a few more days to find Jordan’s thanks to some good old stalking. Allen and Jordan had lunch together regularly - Bruce felt annoyance at this lack of precaution. Superheroes should be more careful with their identities. 

So, Hal Jordan. Previously Air Force, now working for Carol Ferris. An excellent pilot. And a Green Lantern. Bruce needed more information on that, too. 

His soulmate was a powerful man, which meant he was a dangerous one. It was a bit of a relief, because it was evident that Jordan didn’t need his protection and Bruce hadn't wished to spend his days stalking a socialite to keep them alive. 

The superheroes - Allen’s suggestion of the Super Seven as a name for a team was quickly dismissed by the rest of said team - met once more, but Hal Jordan barely talked to him the first time. It wasn’t enough to conclude that Hal was his soulmate. 

The second time the group met, Hal was so angry at him about the League’s commandement and privacy issues that he spent nearly two hours yelling at Bruce, and when the man looked at his arm afterwards, he noticed that the number there coincided with Hal's outburst. Nobody else had spoken to him that much that day. 

So, Hal Jordan was definitely his soulmate. Well, this topic could be left alone until Hal realized and barged into the Watchtower to complain about it. 

He never did, though, so Bruce assumed Barry had managed to calm him down or that Hal had enough sense to know there was nothing Bruce could do about this. 

Hal became entangled with a woman. A very pretty young woman, with curly dark hair and a plump figure. Bruce tried to leave him be for about two days, and then ran a full background check on Inez Walker. He found nothing suspicious. 

Their liaison stopped soon enough, the young woman not appreciating it when Hal didn’t answer her voicemails for weeks when he went away. He hadn’t told her who he was. It made Bruce feel a lot better about the whole thing, for some reason. 

When they broke up, Bruce wondered when Hal would confront him about the whole soulmate thing. The man didn’t chide away from anything and couldn’t let well enough alone most of the time. 

But Hal never hinted at knowing Bruce was his soulmate, even if he couldn’t not know - it had been more than three months, and nobody was this oblivious.  
It would seem Hal just didn’t want to talk about it and prefered ignoring it. It was fine by Bruce. He had not expected more from his soulmate for a long time.

The arguments kept going on between them, the tension becoming almost electric. It felt almost like flirting, things escalating so quickly that they spent more time in each other’s space than not. 

And Bruce liked it. The heated gazes, the heavy breathing, the intimidation play. It was intimate in a certain way. 

Each time he came back from space, Hal had to start a fight with him. Bruce started some, but Hal was the instigator of most of their disputes and Bruce was often too relieved that Hal went back to remember to be petty. It didn't prevent Hal from nagging at Bruce at every possible turn. 

Bruce had wondered if it was Hal’s way to ask him to acknowledge their status, but since the Green Lantern never did, he followed his lead on the subject. Surely Hal wasn’t overenthusiastic at the idea of telling the whole League that Bruce was his soulmate. 

It sounded perfectly reasonable, meaning not at all like Hal. It didn’t bother Bruce at first, but each time it became more difficult for him to watch Hal leave for another part of the galaxy. Yearning to touch his hands or his face. 

The time Hal spent away was worse - his thoughts were then full of Hal. Once or twice he took a blow because of his thoughts wandering towards the Green Lantern when he was in a fight. What was Hal doing ? How was the mission going ? Was he okay ? Would he be back soon ? 

It made Bruce feel like he was in a relationship with an military man, waiting for his return from a war zone. Very touching, except he wasn’t in a relationship with Hal.  
Sometimes Hal returned dejected, tiredness and despair marking his handsome face. Bruce used all his will to not wrap him into his arms then. 

Barry was the one who took care of Hal after bad missions. Bruce never had a problem with the Flash, who was a kind and clever man and easy to work with. Seeing Hal so close to the man made him want to throw up.

He was jealous of the bond between Barry and Hal, and way too conscious of it. Hal was getting closer to his best friend and it left a bad taste in Bruce’s mooth. 

It took Bruce a few more weeks to admit to himself what he had known for a while : he had fallen in love with Hal along the way. The will of steel Hal relied on during the arguments they indulged in so often and in battle must have been it. Bruce could never resist free spirits. 

That and his good looks. The Green Lantern was attractive. Hal’s casual smiles and kind-hearted actions didn’t help on that account. It was a source of comfort and - did he dare to say it ? - happiness to him. 

Well, Hal was also an endless source of frustration. He spent most of his free time glued to Allen and the rest starting petty fights with Bruce for no reason. Well, he was probably trying to get something out of it, but Bruce couldn’t see what. 

It was getting worse. At one point, Bruce had wondered if kissing Hal would be the thing that will make him shut up and drop the argument they were in. He had quickly dismissed the idea, but it had lingered far too long in his mind. How Hal’s lips would taste ? They were only a breath away, Hal pointing at his chest and spouting lame accusations. 

Bruce was glad for his training in self-restraint because he had all his dignity left when Hal stormed out of the room. 

Barry had offered him a compassionate look and a tap on the shoulder on his way out and Bruce had glared at him. 

In the next meeting, Jordan had been distracted and Bruce had asked for his attention in an annoyed tone. The lack of any answer made him pay more attention to the Lantern. Hal’s dominant arm was half-hidden under the table, but he could see some skin and Hal’s eyes seemed fixed on the place his number should be.

Bruce had sighed and tried to signify to him that they could talk later about this without alerting the other members of the League, who seemed more interested in Jordan's and Bruce’s drama than in the briefing. Soon enough, the meeting had ended.

Bruce had invited him to his quarters and changed in his non-vigilante clothes, making Hal wait in his bedroom. Which was about as wise as letting a bull in a china shop, but Bruce wasn’t certain Hal wouldn’t have freaked out if he had changed in front of him. 

Batman had taken some time to become Bruce again, trying to calm himself. It was only Hal Jordan, his teammate. And soulmate. 

He found Hal sitting cross-legged on his bed, looking as charming as usual - the Lantern uniform was sinfully form-fitting - when he got out of his closet.

“Is the mattress to your taste ?" Bruce said drily. 

He was feeling distracted, and who could blame him ? His soulmate was sitting on his bed like it was his, looking a bit sleepy but comfortable. 

"Changing took you longer than I expected, Narcissus." Hal quipped.

Bruce knew he could be vain but it was a bit rich coming from Hal. It made him laugh.  
He sat next to Hal gingerly, letting some distance between them. If he stretched his arm, he could touch Hal's gloved hand. 

Which made him notice that Hal was still wearing his uniform. Hal looked surprised when Bruce told him so and changed.

Bruce caught him looking at his wrist -not covered by his t-shirt - intently.

"We need to talk about this." Bruce said, making his voice soft. 

Hal looked a bit shaken. Bruce's sleeves were folded at the elbow. He showed his arm with the numbers at Hal. It felt like baring his soul - intimate, relieving and a bit terrifying.

Hal had swallowed, looked at Bruce's skin and had said "I know". The last digit went from 3 to 5 under their eyes.

It was a thing to know it and another to see it. He noticed Hal shuddering, almost shaking and touched his shoulder lightly. Hal looked at him, seemingly more composed but Bruce didn't let it fool him. Hal was distraught.

"I really thought you knew." he said. 

It wasn't an apology, barely an admission that he should have known better than just assuming, where Hal was concerned. The man wasn't easy to predict and Bruce tended to forget that. 

Hal was talking, saying something about Bruce having known for a long time, obviously. Bruce didn't like the bitterness in his voice. 

They talked some more, Hal leaning on accusatory and Bruce being prudent with his words, careful not to make himself more of a target for Hal's anger.

So much for damage control. The whole conversation had left Bruce empty, hollow. 

He knew he hadn’t gone easy on Hal. Some things should have been said differently. He shouldn’t have mocked his relationship with Barry, he shouldn’t have assumed things about Hal’s feelings. He should have been more understanding.

But Hal could have, too. He could have supposed that Bruce may have feelings about this, even if they weren’t required ones. He could have supposed that Bruce had feelings, period.

After this, Bruce had patrolled for most of the night. Punching bad guys was as good a coping method as any. 

He was realistic enough to be aware that he needed to sort things out with Hal. The next League meeting was soon and they couldn’t let things go until then. However, he wasn’t going to chase after Hal like an abandoned and slightly embarrassing suitor. 

Hal would have to make the first move. If he didn’t, Bruce would seek him out a day or two before the meeting, but he had faith enough in Hal to believe that the Green Lantern would look for him before that. 

Hal wasn’t a coward and he must have realized that they couldn't let things in the state they were. They needed to put an end to this conversation. 

His phone rang a few days later. Bruce didn’t need to look to know it was Hal. Only a few people had his personal number and he was only waiting for one of them to call him. 

He let it ring twice - Hal deserved the anxiety and Bruce the time to regain his composure - before answering the call. 

“Shit, shit, shit.” he heard Hal mutter under his breath.

He was probably pacing up and down the room. He had given Bruce a few headaches that way, when waiting for news of the Corps after bad things had happened in a sector guarded by one of his friends.

“Wayne.” Bruce sighed. 

“It’s Hal. Can I talk to you ? I mean, for real ? Like, face to face ?”

Bruce had closed his eyes. He didn’t think that Hal would want to see him in the flesh. 

“When ?” he asked, but he knew Hal wouldn’t postpone this.

The Green Lantern wasn’t so great at waiting, which always had been at the heart of their arguments. 

“Will now be too assuming ?” Hal had asked.

Bruce had thrown a look at the files in front of him. They would need a more thorough study but it could wait. 

“It will do. 1007, Mountain Drive. You know the city. I’ll be in the Eastern living-room. Alfred will show you the way.” he said before hanging up. 

Less than forty minutes later, Hal was closing the living-room’s door behind him. Bruce put his files aside and raised to greet his teammate.

“Jordan. You wanted to talk.” he said, shaking his hand. 

“Uh, yes.” 

He looked unsure about what he was doing here, he was probably starting to regret calling Bruce.

“What is it ?” Bruce asked, tired of waiting. “Take a seat if you want.”

Hal had been the one who wanted to talk, after all. He shook his head negatively, refusing to sit in an armchair. Maybe the floor under his feet made him feel grounded. It was often the case for Bruce. 

“You remember, the other night -” Hal started hesitantly.

Bruce shouldn’t have but he couldn’t resist the urge to interrupt.

“How could I forget ?” 

Hal brushed his fingers against his own wrist, doubtlessly thinking about the numbers here, in full changing process as they talked.  
He met Bruce’s eyes and managed to speak in a steady tone.

“Be a dear and don’t interrupt me. Contrary to you, I know how to apologize when my behavior has been quite appaling. So, first thing, I -”

Hell, it was going to be a long night. Bruce cut him off before he could go further.

“I am a big boy, I can live with hurt feelings.” he said, gritting his teeth.

A bad habit of his that Alfred had always frowned upon. Thinking about Alfred when he was anything but courteous made him feel bad, though, so he tried to concentrate on Hal’s words.

Hal just tutted, and Bruce felt like a schoolboy being chastised. He didn’t like it at all.  
“What did I say about interruptions ? So yes, I am sorry, I really am and I hope you’ll find it in yourself to forgive me.” Hal continued.

Bruce was ready to interrupt Hal again but the Green Lantern had nearly closed the space between them to put his finger on Bruce’s lips in a silencing gesture. Bruce went very still. 

He could push Hal’s hand away and kiss him in two movements. He only needed a hand to take Hal’s and another to bring him closer. Bruce blinked. He should forget about this. He could. He had to listen to what Hal had wanted to say.

Hal had gone still too, so he may have realized that he was a bit closer to him than would be conventional. It must not have bothered him for long, because he started speaking again.

“Yes, well, that wasn’t the only thing I wanted to say. You stunned me back then and I didn’t - this conversation is awful. I can’t find the right words for what I want to say. Can we do a “too long, didn’t listen” thing ?”

Bruce was trying to read his companion, to understand what he was trying to convey without much success. He would probably need a drink after that.

“I thought about what you said. Well, didn’t say but you get what I am saying. I found out that my feelings weren’t what I thought they were. I might be in love with you or close enough. And I - if you want us to try for a couple relationship, I’d like that.” Hal said.

Bruce wondered for a second if Hal had even had the time to breathe during his declaration. It took him a bit more time to analyze what Hal was saying. 

There were many things Bruce could have said there, and a lot of them would have been cleverest than the one he actually said. 

“You talked to Allen.” 

There was no way Hal could have changed his mind so quickly without exterior help, and he usually went to Barry when he had personal issues. 

Of course, it wasn’t how Hal interpreted this. Sometimes, Bruce had the feeling that he misunderstood him willfully. 

“About your feelings ? No. About mine ? Absolutely.”

Bruce tensed a bit. Of course Hal thought he didn’t trust him. They will have to tackle this subject later. Bruce trusted all his teammates with his life, even Queen. Hal was much higher on the list. 

“We can’t all bury our feelings and sit on them waiting for them to kill us or something.”

Bruce felt better after Hal’s quip. It wasn’t exactly nice but his tone had been more mocking than hostile and that was a first step.

“You’re insufferable.” he said.

It made Hal laugh, and Bruce felt himself smiling.

“And you’re not ?” Hal said softly.

Bruce shook his head, losing himself into Hal’s lovely eyes for a bit. They stayed silent, looking at each other, lost in their thoughts.

“I’d like to. Try this couple thing.” Bruce said eventually.

“I am impressed by your self-control. I thought you would be swooning, at the very least. Or maybe that you would call Clark to giggle with him about your new boyfriend.”

“My self-control is rather thin when you’re concerned. You better not try it.” Bruce warned him. 

Hal’s expression went devious. He took Bruce’s hand - the one with the changing numbers - into his. 

“What are the risks ?” 

Bruce leaned forward and his lips brushed Hal’s ear - the Green Lantern almost jolted - :

“Currently ? To be dragged into the master bedroom and not allowed to leave until morning.” 

Bruce’s gaze had fallen on Hal’s lips. Hal’s tongue brushed them self-consciously, Bruce’s eyes focused on it.

“My schedule is clear.” Hal said as an afterthought and he brought Bruce closer, pulling on his sleeve.

Bruce’s cupped Hal’s cheek and stroked it gently.

“We can take this slow.” he murmured. 

It wasn’t what he wanted, but for Hal he could be patient. Hal nodded gravely. Just before kissing Bruce fiercely.

“Yeah. We should. Where’s your bedroom ?”

**Author's Note:**

> An anon asked if I could make this with Bruce's POV and here we are ! Hopefully it works.


End file.
